Slaughterhouse saved from closure

A FAMILY slaughterhouse business which has been going for 60 years has been saved from certain closure.

John Lyth has re-opened the abbattoir at Egton after it closed down at the end of January and hopes the move will help local farmers and butchers.

Under the name Egton Butchers the premises has been gutted and re-wired, all the equipment has been replaced and brought up to modern day standards including the walls being coated with plastic.

It is a three species abbattior and will be able to handle six beasts, ten pigs and ten sheep per day.

Initially the abbattoir will work Mondays and Tuesdays and if the demand is there opening hours can be extended and chilling space added.

John said: “My dad used to have it during the way, it has been in our family for 60 plus years. The previous tenants gave it up on 31 January - they couldn’t makeit pay.

“We are doing this mainly for the local farmers and butchers. If folks want it they will use it and if they don’t they will lose it. If it shuts it will never open again.”

The nearest other slaughterhouse is at Stockton so this will save on miles and local businesses will be helping each other.

Animals will be brought to the abbattoir by the local farmers themselves and after they have been slaughtered, which John says is done humanely, the meat will be delivered to local butchers.

He added: “We might generate a job or two along the way. It cuts down on food miles and carbon footprint. We keep it all local and we know where the meat has come from - it has not travelled hundreds of miles.”